


How To Rival

by MissCricket



Series: 30 Stories of Carver Hawke [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cousland is done with everything, Enemies to Lovers, Grey Wardens, M/M, Nathaniel is observant, Rivalry, The Wardens are a family, canders - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-02
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 18:02:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6434716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissCricket/pseuds/MissCricket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In this, Carver Hawke is the newest Ferelden Grey Warden and succeeds in pissing people off, Cousland is so done, Nathaniel is smug, and Anders wants to set someone's hair on fire. Or kiss them. Or both.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How To Rival

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired and for Ser-Pounce-A-Mage on tumblr.

“Commander?” 

A quiet voice drew Ephena Cousland’s eyes up from the pile of paperwork on her desk, and she arched an eyebrow at the young elf in her doorway.

“Eilonwy.” She greeted, sitting up a little more and hiding a wince at the stiffness in her back. She really needed to get out of this office more, getting stiff from staring at parchment all day? That wasn’t her style, “What can I do for you?”

“Um,” the elven mage twined her fingers together, “Well Commander I have a message from Nathaniel.”

“And that is?” Ephena felt a sense of foreboding, Nathaniel was a capable Warden, her second in Command...if he was sending a message something must be terribly wrong.

“They’re fighting again.”

There was silence for a long moment before Ephena let her head thunk back down onto the desk.

“Andraste’s tits…”

~*~

Nathaniel was leaning against the wall next to the door out of the keep to the training yards, when Ephena made her way out there, shadowed by Eilonwy.

“Again?” Ephena demanded, stopping beside him, and glaring at the little smirk playing around her second’s mouth, “Nathaniel have you been encouraging them?”

“Ephena they don’t require encouragement. But I could have been more forceful in discouraging it. Still….I believe this makes it the fourth time this week?”

“You’re a filthy cheat Howe,” Ephena growled at him, fishing out some coins from her belt purse. Handing them over to a chortling Nathaniel, she looked over at the training yard again, where the new recruit, Carver Hawke, a lad from the local city of Amaranthine, and Anders were once again arguing.

Dramatic as ever, Anders was pacing up again and gesticulating wildly as he shouted at the taller, broader, stronger man. Carver had his arms folded, but was obviously giving it back just as good as he got, because Anders’ cheeks were flushed with fury and there was a smirk on the young Hawke’s face.

“You going to stop them?” Nathaniel asked, shooting her a small smile, “Carver could get his hair set on fire, like Anders did to that Templar recruit we shipped back to Orlais.”

“I’m pretty sure our Hawke can look after himself.” Ephena smiled, secure in the knowledge that only she knew of Carver’s mage roots, and training. “He’s a natural at Mage combat.”

Both grinned as Anders punched Carver’s arm and backed up in a hurry, shaking his head and clearly berating the young man for something...probably the solidness of the offending limb.

“I give them a week before they’re in bed.” Ephena said, shooting Nathaniel a sly look.

“Two,” Sigrun, piped up from where she’d snuck up behind them, “My money’s on two.”

“Who say’s they’re not already sharpening the boy’s greatswword, Heh heh.” Oghren rumbled with a belch, “Sparklefingers needs a good ramming.”

“Three,” Nathaniel said, smirking at Ephena and Sigrun, and ignoring Oghren, “You’re on.”

“No interference,” Ephena informed them all, before they all turned back in time to see fire burst into existence around Anders’ hand. “Uh, Eilonwy?”

“Yes Commander?” The timid voice piped up from behind them.

“How good are your ice spells again?”


End file.
